Shaving device



Patented Mey 27, 1941' UNITED STAESl PATENT lOFFICE SHAVING DEVICE Clyde T. Russell, Glasco, Kans. Application October 2, 1939, Serial No. 297,554

(Cl. Sti- 43) Claims.

This invention relates to electric Shavers, and one object thereof is the provision oi an improved clip shaving device having a spiral inner blade driven by a direct drive from the motor and revolving inside the cone-shaped outer blade.

Other objects of the invention are the provision of means for adjusting tension of all parts of the cutter blades, a bearing assembly which reduces tension on the motor, the spiral blade carrying the clippings into the chamber back of the cutting blade, which can be emptied, and a particular design of the teeth on the round outer blade which insures cleaner and faster shaving.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the shaving device.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal crosssectional elevational view of the same.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 Vis an enlarged fragmentary view of the outside of the cone-shaped outer blade.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral I0 indicates a handle housing in which an electric motor, not shown, is housed, the drive shaft of the motor being shown at I I. A sleeve I2 screws into the handle 'IIL as shown, and at its other end has a barrel I3 screwed thereon. A relatively sharply beveled shoulder,'frustro conical in shape, extends outward at I4 from the shoulder' 22 formed withinthe sleeve I2. The

end 22 of the shaft 20 is threaded. and thereon is screwed the hub 24 of the shaft 25 of a spiral blade 26. At its outer extremity a slot 2l is provided in the shaft 26, accessible to a screw driver inserted through the opening I1.'

A pair of spaced washers 26 loosely surround the shaft 20 adjacent the hub 24, and therebetween a gasket 26 is clamped; thus the combination of the washers 26 and gasket 26 may be 451s rotatably slidably termed a reinforced gasket. A nut 30 having a boss 3|, is screwed against the adjacent washer 26. VThe ball bearing 2| also has a boss, shown at 32. intermediate the shaft 20, a nut 33 is threadedly positioned, and is provided with opposed bosses 34 and 35. Coiled compression springs 36 and 67 surround the shaft 20, the former between the ball bearing 2i and the nut 33, and the latter between the nut 33 and the nut 3d. The bosses 3i', 32, 34, and 35, serve to keep these springs spaced radially outward from the shaft 2.6. The sleeve I2 is provided with a radial Opening g8 positioned in radial alignment with the nut 3 narrower slanting slots 42. It is to be noted that the slots 46 of one row 26 are staggered with reference to the slots 46 of the row 36 directly above or below the same. The same staggered remnonsmp is provided in the rows is ofslots az.'

The nut 33 is provided with a plurality of circumterentially spaced apart radial holes 43, any vone of which may be aligned with the opening 38 in the sleeve I2 to receive the end of shown) passed through the opening 26. In the shoulder I4, two or more openings 44 are provided therethrough, giving access into the space between the gasket n' and the end of the blade 26, around the hub 2'4. A frustroconical band l mounted on the shoulder I4 and is provided with openings 46, equal in number to and peripherally spaced-apart in the Y same position as,` thesurface of the band sired, so that it may shoulder I4. Y

The shaver is operated Vby actuating the electric motor, not shown. whence `the shaft IIl rotates the spiral blade 26. At, thestart of the shaving operation the 'wider slots 40 are first applied to the face, to clipthe longer or coarser hairs, and la'ter the narrower slots 42 are applied to the face to clip the shorter or finer hairs, thus providing a really 'shave and a quicker one; As thehairs :are removed .and fall'into the shell I5, the spiral blade ycarries them back into the space bounded by the shoulder I4. vWhen the shaving has been completed, the band. Is' rotated to bring the openinls 46 and 44 into Mign-` ment, whence thev hairs may be shaken out of openings 44. The outer 46 maybe knurled, if debe readily rotatedon the sires of the user for a closer or a coarser shave.

The spring 36, since its left-hand end (Figure 2) is in contact with the rigid ball bearing housing 2 i, is longitudinally fixed inposition. If now the nut 33 is held stationary with respect to the housing (by means of a pin or tool inserted through the opening 38) while shaft 20 is rotated in a direction which will advance the shaft 2li toward the tapering end of the device, then spring 36 will be-compressed while spring 31 will simultaneously expand owing to the increase of the axial distance between the nuts 35 and 30. Then, upon removal of the pin from one of the holes 43 in the nut 33, thus releasing the nut, the spring 36 will be free to resume its former condition of tension and thus will expand until its pressure again counterbalances that of the spring 31 which is now again compressed to its former condition. In thus expanding, since its one end is stationary against the ball bearing housing 2l, as just stated, the spring 36 will push the entire cutter mechanism including the shafts 20 and 25, as a unit, forward; or, if the cutter has already been in close but light-pressured contact with the shell i5, it will simply increase the pressure of that contact. The `,reverse adjustment takes place when the shaft 20 is rotated in the opposite direction while the nut 33 is held fixed by the pin or tool inserted through the opening 3B. Since the extreme range of .movement necessary, or even possible, of the shafts 20-25 axially, is very small, probably not as much as one-sixteenth of an inch, the changing of position with respect to the housing of the nut 33, does not cause the nut to move at any time beyond a position of accessibility of the pin inserted through the opening 38, as is obvious.

In the manufacture of the device, the clamping pressure between the nut30 and the socket of the shaft 24 against the reinforced gasket may be suiiiciently great as to practically lock the shafts 20 and 25 together so that for purposes of the adjustment just described they will act as though they were but the ends of a unitary rigid shaft. With this assumption, the shaft 2li may be rotated in either direction, as stated in the previous paragraph, by means of a screw drivery inserted through the end opening l1. As an alternative way of rotatingthe shaft 20 for the purposes of the said adjustment of the spiral blade, the handle Iii could be unscrewed and the square end i3 of the shaft 20 could be held by a wrench or other tool and rotated thereby.

A shaving device constructed along the lines above set forth is most practical and efficient in use, and more closely than the usual type of electrical shaver approximates the advantages to be obtained by using the common barbers straight edge razor.' 1t can be drawn over the face in the manner of a straight edge razor, permitting the.

operator, as with a straight edge razor, touse the fingers of his other hand to smooth and stretch out the skin so .that the hair stubs will stand out from the skin in the path of the razor, yet permitting him to see the area he is shaving. Obviously, modifications in form and structure may be made without departingflrom the spirit and scope of `the invention.

I- claim:

1. A shaving device comprising a housing hav.

ing a drive shaft rotatably mounted therein, a frustro-conical slotted shell extending from said housing and having a spiral blade therein joined axially with saidvshaft, said shaft having screw threads thereon, a nut on said shaft intermediate its length. a gasket or the like near the blade end of said shaft, a second nut on said shaft lying against said gasket between said first nut and said gasket.- a coiled spring surrounding said shaft between said nuts and normally urging said nuts apart, an opening through said housing, said rst nut having a plurality of peripheral holes therein and being positioned radially inward from said opening.

2. A shaving device'comprising a housing having a drive shaft rotatably mounted'therein, a frustro-conical slotted shell extending from said housing and having a spiral blade therein joined axially with said shaft, said shaft having screw threads thereon, a nut on Asaid shaft intermediate its length, a gasket or the like near the blade end of said shaft, a second nut on said shaft lying against said gasket between said first nut and said gasket, a coiled spring surrounding said shaft between said nuts and normally urging said nuts apart, an opening through said housing, said first nut having a plurality of peripheral holes therein and being positioned in the same radial plane as said opening, a ball bearing in said housing receiving the motor end of said shaft, a second coiled spring surrounding said shaft between said ball bearing and said first nut-and normally urging the same apart.

3. A shaving device comprising a housing having a drive shaft rotatably mounted therein, a frustro-conical slotted shell extending from said housing and having a spiral blade therein in axial alignment with said shaft, a peripheral frus- .tro-conical shoulder formed between said housl ly rotatable thereon, said band having openings therethrough adapted to be aligned with said shoulder openings.

4. A shaving device comprising a housing having a drive shaft 'rotatably mounted therein, a frustro-conical slotted shell extending-from said housing and having a spiral blade therein in axial alignment with said shaft, a shoulder formed between said housing and said shell and having a plurality of spaced openings therethrough, a gasket or the like surrounding said shaft at the end of said housing adjacent said shoulder, and means for opening or closing said openings, said means comprising a band slidably mounted on said shoulder and peripherally rotatably thereon, said band having openings therethrough adapted `to be aligned with said shoulder openings.

5. A shaving device comprising a housing hav ing a drive shaft rotatably mounted therein, a frustro-conical slotted shell extending from said housing and having a spiral blade therein in axial alignment with said shaft, a tapering shoulder formed between said housing'and said shell and having a plurality of spaced openings therethrough, a gasket or the like surroundingsaid shaft at the end of said housing adjacent said shoulder. means for opening or closing said openings, said shell having a group of longitudinal rows of slanting slots cut therethrough, the slots of each of said rows being peripherally staggered with respect to the' slots of its adjacent row.

,. 6. A shaving device )comprising a housing havl,for moving said blade axially toward -or away I ing a drive shaft rotatably mounted therein', a

frustro-'conical slotted shell extending from said housing and having aspiral blade therein in axial alignment with said shaft', a shoulder formed between said housing and said shell and having a plurality of spaced openings therethrough, a gasto the slots of its adjacent row, said shell'having a second group of longitudinal rows of slanting slots cut therethrough with the slots of each of said rows thereof being peripherally staggered with respect to the slots of its adjacent row thereof, said slots of said second group ,of rows being of substantially equal length but offlesser width than said slots of said first group ofrows. 7. A shaving device comprising a housing having a drive shaft rotatably mounted ltifarein, a frustro-conical slotted shell extendinjffrom said housing and having a' spiral blade therein in axial alignment with said shaft, a shoulder formed between said housing and said shell and having a plurality of spaced openings therethrough, a gasket or the Alike surrounding said shaft at the end of said housing adjacent said shoulder, means for opening or closing said openings, said means comprising a band slidably mounted on said shoulder and peripherally rotatable thereon, said band having openings therethrough adapted to be aligned with seid shoul-v der openings, said shell having a group of longitudinal rows of slanting slots cut therethrough,

het or the like surrounding said shaft at the end of said housing adjacent said shoulder, means for opening or closing said openings, said means comprising .a hand slidably mounted on said shoulder and peripherally rotatably thereon,v said 1 band having openings therethrough adapted to be aligned with said shoulder openings, said shell having a group of longitudinal rows of s lanting slots out therethrough, the slots of each of said rows being peripherally staggered with respect to the slots of its adjacent row, said shell having a second group of longitudinal rowfsyhf slanting slots cut therethrough withthe slots each of said rows thereof being peripherally taggered with respect to the slots of its adjacent row thereof, said slots of said second group of rows being of lesser width than said slots of said nrst group of rows.

9. A shaving device comprising a housing havfrom the tip of said shell to bring the cutting.

edges of said blade closer to or farther from, respectively, the inner surface of said shell,

10. A shaving device comprising-a housing hav. ing a drive shaft rotatably mounted thereir, a frustro-conical slotted shell extending from said housing and having a spiral blade therein in axial alignment with said shaft, a shoulder formed between said housing and said shell and having 'a plurality of spaced openings therethrough, a gasket or the like surrounding said shaft at the end of said housing adjacent said shoulder, means for opening or closing said openings, means for moving said blade axially to vary the proximity of the cutting edges of'said blade to the inner surface of said shell. and releasable locking resilient means for varying the tension of said blade against said'shell.

l1. A shaving device comprising imity of the cutting edges of said-blade to the inner surface of said shell, said shell having a group of longitudinal rows of slanting slots cut therethrough, the slots of each of said rows being peripherally staggered with respect to the slotsof its adjacent row.

12. A shaving device comprising a housing having a drive shaft rotatably mounted thereiiua A frustro-conical slotted shell extending from said housing and having a spiral blade therein in axial alignment with said shaft, a shoulder formed between said housing.and said shell and having va plurality of spaced openingstherethrougnga gasket or the like surrounding said shaft at the 'end of said housing adjacent said shoulder, means Y for opening or closing said openings, and means for moving said blade axially toward or away from the tip of said shell to vary the distance be tween the cutting edges of said blade and the inner surface of said shell, said shell having a group of longitudinal rows of slanting slots out thereof being peri-plierally staggered with-respect to the slots of its adjacent row thereof, said slots of said second group of rows being of lesser width than said slots of said nrst group of rows.`

13. A shaving device comprising a housing havv ing a drive shaft rotatably mounted therein, a

` frustro-conioal slotted shell extending from said ing a drive shaft rotatably mounted therein, a

for opening or closing said openings, and means l housing and having a. spiral bladetherein in an@ ial alient with said shaft, a shoulder formed between said housing and said shell and having a, plurality of spaced ons therethrough, a-

gaslset or the like surrounding said shaft at the end of said housing adjacent said shoulder, means for opening or closing said openings, said means comprising a 'band slidably mounted -on said shoulder and peripherally rotatably thereon, said j band having openings therethrough adapted to be aligned with said shoulder openings, said shell having a group ol longitudinal rows of slanting ahousing hav-l ing a drive shaft rotatably mounted therein, a frustro-conical slotted shell extending from said slots cut therethrough, the slots of each of said rows being peripherally staggered with respect v to the slots of its adjacent row, and releasable locking resilient means for varying the tension of said blade against said shell. 14. A shaving device comprising a housing having a. drive shaft rotatably mounted therein, a frustro-conical slotted shell extending from said housing and having a. spiral blade therein in axial alignment with said shaft, said shaft having 1.10

screw threads thereon, a nut on said shaft inter-r mediate its length, said blade having an internally threaded socket on its inner end having the 15. Av shaving device comprising a housing having a drive shaft rotatably mounted therein', a frustro-conical slotted shell extending from said housing and having a spiral blade therein in axial alignment with said shaft, said shaft having screw threads thereon, a nut on said shaft intermediate its length, said blade having an internalinner end of saidshaft screwed thereinto, a second nut on said shaft adjacent the inner end .-15

thereof, a coiled spring on said shaft between said nuts and normally urging said nuts apart, a pair of spaced Washers on said shaft between said lastnarned nut and the peripheral wall of said blade socket, a gasket between said washers, said wash- 20 Aers and said gasket being clamped together bely threaded socket on its inner end having the inner end of said shaft screwed thereinto, a second nut on said shaft adjacent the inner end thereof, a coiled spring on said shaft between said nuts and normally urging said nuts apart, a pair of spaced washers on said shaft between said lastnamed nut and the peripheral wall of said blade socket, a gasket between said washers, said washers and said gasket being clamped together between said last-named nut and said peripheral wall of said blade socket and forming a partition between said housing and said shell, a ball bearing in said housing receiving the outer end of said shaft, a second coiled spring on said shaft between said ball bearing and said first-named nut and normally urging the same apart.

CLYDE T. RUSSELL. 

